Egg Tofu Salad with Omelette and Chives

This egg-cellent salad of egg tofu and thinly sliced omelette is accompanied by the crunch of the green beans and rounded off by the sweet and sour plum sauce vinaigrette.

Egg Tofu Salad with Omelette and Chives

Why I Love Egg Tofu Salad

Fried egg tofu is one of my simple pleasures. When I’m after a super easy meal, I simply pan fry egg tofu with garlic and eat it with rice.

In this instance, I wanted to incorporate one of my favourite things into a salad recipe. Finely shredding an omelette is something I do regularly as toppers for fried rice, fried noodles and mid-week poke bowls.

Marrying these two things seemed like the best decision! Stir through a sweet and sour plum sauce dressing, and it makes for a salad with a difference.

What Is Egg Tofu?

Egg tofu is made with eggs, water and soy milk. It usually comes in a tube and has a pale yellow colour as opposed to the white tofu you may be familiar with.

The texture of the egg tofu is smooth and has a slight bounce. It has less melt in your mouth and silken textures when compared to the white silken tofu.

It is gluten free, low in calories and a great source of protein for vegetarians. Much like the stem of King Oyster mushrooms, egg tofu discs are also known as scallops due to its resemblance when it’s cut into round discs.

Egg tofu in the packet and sliced into discs

Can You Eat Tofu Raw?

Tofu is technically cooked food. When you buy it from your local grocery store or supermarket, you are purchasing a product that has gone through a cooking process.

Tofu is made from soybean milk, specifically mature white soybeans. Much like cheese, tofu goes through a similar process of being boiled, curdled and pressed. The milk is combined with a coagulant to help it give it its firm form.

The soy milk and the coagulant are then simmered, and exactly like cheese, the process continues until the curd and whey are separated. The more whey that is released, the firmer the tofu product will be.

So, the question of whether you can eat tofu raw is actually incorrect. As it is cooked food, you can eat tofu straight out of the packet.

Where Can I Buy Egg Tofu?

More and more mainstream supermarkets are stocking egg tofu. If you’re unable to find it, your Asian grocer will be your best bet.

How Do I Remove the Egg Tofu Packaging?

When I first encountered an egg tofu tube, I have to admit I was at a loss as to how to get it out without smashing it to bits.

The egg tofu tube will have a dotted line running perpendicular to the length of the tube. Using a knife, cut at the dotted line through the tube.

Hold one end of the first half, squeeze gently at the top, and the egg tofu will naturally pop out. Grab hold of the second half and do the same.

How to open and cut egg tofu
How to open and cut egg tofu

What Is Usuyaki Tamago?

Usuyaki Tamago are Japanese egg crepes. These scrumptious paper-thin omelettes are used more as a garnish, especially to wrap dishes such as Temari sushi. The crepe is rolled and sliced thinly, and this thinly sliced egg is then called Kinshi Tamago.

The key to this process is all about the thinness of the crepe. The best result can only occur if you strain your egg batter and a whole ton of practice.

While I love Kinshi Tamago, I have only taken inspiration from the dish. Apart from the fact that I didn’t want to spend too much perfecting the process, I didn’t actually want the omelette to be so thin. For this recipe, I have only taken the idea to create this egg tofu recipe.

Don’t fret! Perfectly ok if the omelette is thick. Just slice it thinly and you’ll be fine.

For some other salads with eggs, do try: Tofu Puff Salad with Snake Beans and Peanut Butter Dressing or Dutch Carrot Salad with Hummus and Soft-Boiled Eggs.

Thinly sliced omelette

Instructions

Step by step instructions for how to make egg tofu salad:

How to Make Pan-Fried Egg Tofu

Pierce the egg casing tofu packaging at the dotted line. Then gently cut right through. Press the casing on each end to push the egg tofu out. Slice them about 0.5 cm in width.

Place 1 tbsp of avocado oil (or any cooking oil of your choice) in a large frypan on medium to high heat.

Add the egg tofu discs and fry for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and gently flip the tofu. Place it back on the heat for another 2 minutes.

Remove and place on paper towels to absorb some of the oil. Season with a little bit of salt.

How to Make Omelette

Whisk 3 eggs. Chop the chives finely and add to the egg mixture.

In a large frypan, add 1 tsp of avocado oil on medium heat. When hot, pour in half the egg to make the omelette. Even the mixture out so it’s as thin as it can be.

When it is half cooked, using a thin and flat spatula, lift the omelette gently on one end and fold it about 5 cm in width.

Continue to fold it until you reach the other end of the fry pan. Remove the folded omelette and set aside.

Add another ½ tsp of avocado oil to the frypan and repeat the same process for the rest of the egg mixture.

Place the folded omelette on a chopping board horizontally. With a sharp knife, start at one end and slice the omelette a thinly as possible.

How to make an omelette and slice it thinly

How to Make the Rest of The Salad

Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Cook the green beans for 2 minutes.

Remove and drain in a colander and run under cold water. Cut off the ends of the green beans and cut to ½ cm in width.

Chop the green leaves of the spring onion.

How to Make the Plum Sauce Vinaigrette

Mix the plum sauce, olive oil, rice wine vinegar, crushed garlic clove and soy sauce.

Mix until well combined.

How to Assemble Egg Tofu Salad

In a large mixing bowl, add the beans, ¼ of the sliced omelette and ½ the chopped spring onion. Toss and place on one half of the serving plate. Add ½ the dressing portion on top and season with salt and pepper.

Pile the pan-fried egg tofu on top of that half of the salad.

Add the rest of the sliced omelette to the other side of the plate.

Drizzle the rest of the dressing all around the plate.

Sprinkle the rest of the spring onion on top of the whole plate.

Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy this Chinese and Japanese inspired salad recipe as we pay homage to the humble egg. We are loving this egg tofu recipe! A salad with no leafy greens or fruit, perfect for hitting those savoury notes.

More Asian Salad Recipes

Egg Tofu Salad with Omelette and Chives on a brown striped plate with 2 pairs of chopsticks and a small bowl of dressing on the side

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Egg Tofu Salad with Omelette and Chives
Print Recipe
5 from 43 votes

Egg Tofu Salad with Omelette and Chives

This egg-cellent salad of egg tofu and thinly sliced omelette is accompanied by the crunch of the green beans and rounded off by the sweet and sour plum sauce vinaigrette.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Asian
Additional Dietary: Dairy Free, Nut Free, Vegetarian
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 379kcal
Author: Amy Chung

Ingredients

Salad

Salad Dressing

Click on the toggle below for conversion to US Cooking Units.

Instructions

Egg Tofu

  • Pierce the egg casing tofu packaging at the noted dotted line.
    Then gently cut right through.
    Press the casing on each end to push the egg tofu out. Slice them about 0.5 cm in width.
  • Place 1 tbsp of avocado oil in a large frypan on medium to high heat.
  • Add the egg tofu discs and fry for 2 minutes.
    Remove from the heat and gently flip the tofu.
    Place it back on the heat for another 2 minutes.
    Remove and place on paper towels to absorb some of the oil.
  • Season with a little bit of salt.

Omelette

  • Whisk 3 eggs. Chop the chives finely and add to the egg mixture.
  • In a large frypan, add 1 tsp of avocado oil on medium heat.
  • When hot, pour in half the egg to make the omelette.
    Even the mixture out so it's as thin as it can be.
    When it is half cooked, using a thin and flat spatula, lift the omelette gently on one end and fold it about 5 cm in width.
    Continue to fold it until you reach the other end of the fry pan.
  • Remove the folded omelette and set aside.
  • Add another 1 tsp of avocado oil to the frypan and repeat the same process for the rest of the egg mixture.
  • Place the folded omelette on a chopping board horizontally.
    With a sharp knife, start at one end and slice the omelette a thinly as possible.

Rest of the Salad

  • Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Cook the green beans for 2 minutes.
    Remove and drain in a colander and run under cold water.
    Cut off the ends of the green beans and cut to ½ cm in width.
  • Chop the green leaves of the scallion (spring onion).

Salad Dressing

  • Mix the salad dressing ingedients together.
  • Mix until well combined.

Assembly

  • In a large mixing bowl, add the beans, ¼ of the sliced omelette and ½ the chopped spring onion.
    Toss and place on one half of the serving plate. Add ½ the dressing portion on top and season with salt and pepper.
  • Pile the pan-fried egg tofu on top of that half of the salad.
  • Add the rest of the sliced omelette to the other side of the plate.
  • Drizzle the rest of the dressing all around the plate.
  • Sprinkle the rest of the scallion (spring onion) on top of the whole plate.
  • Season with salt and pepper.

Notes

  • If you’re not able to find egg tofu, you can find silken tofu in the tube. You may not be able to pan fry them though as they are not firm enough. You can consume silken tofu as it is so just slice them up.
  • If you’re unable to roll the omelette, not to worry. Just fry them as you usually would and then fold them when it’s cooled down and slice. That will still do the trick.
  • Flat-leaf parsley and coriander can be added if you like your herbs.
  • Feel free to add some chilli in the dressing to give the salad a little bit of a kick. Chilli flakes or finely chopped jalapenos would work well.

Nutrition

Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 126mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 545IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 283mg | Iron: 3mg

*Disclaimer: Nutritional information provided is an estimate only and generated by an online calculator.

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14 Comments

  1. Mama Maggie's Kitchen says:

    5 stars
    My mouth is watering. I want to eat that!

  2. 5 stars
    Wow! a healthy high protein breakfast that is flavorful and satisfying.

  3. Alexandra says:

    5 stars
    Such a delicious combination of flavours – love the dressing!

  4. 5 stars
    I’ve been wanting to try more tofu recipes and I can’t wait to make this one! The dressing sounds really good too!

  5. 5 stars
    I can’t wait to try that dressing. I’ll start looking for egg tofu today!

5 from 43 votes (36 ratings without comment)

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